In it together!
Noren Kamat,
Dubai, Sales
Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, once said, “No individual can win a game by himself.” What he said rings true for me as a Zoman.
I’ve been a part of an incredibly passionate team at Zomato for over two years now. I started my journey here by moving to work with the Dubai team in Feb 2015; away from my family and friends, and everything familiar in general.
Last December, after a few very busy months at work, I was really looking forward to my time off with my family in Pune. What was originally a two-week vacation plan turned into something I hadn’t expected. When I look back now, I think it has largely defined how I feel about Zomato today.
I was finally on my way to India and I had a whole bunch of things on my to-do list: catch-ups with friends, bank work, weddings to attend, family visits, etc. But the unexpected came our way. Six days into the vacation, my mother was detected with terminal illness. I will never forget how I felt at that moment, it was as though time froze. I realized that the situation was grave but I also knew that I had a commitment to my job and I would have to get back soon. I called my manager to ask if I could extend my leave by a week. He assured me I could take all the time I required and that I did not need to worry about work at that point.
However, after three weeks in India, I got restless. I couldn’t bring myself to stay away from work any longer and flew back to Dubai. What I hadn’t anticipated was that I was leaving my heart and soul back at home. Even with all the support I had at work, I could not concentrate and the team noticed it. I was asked to head back to my family and do what I felt was necessary without worrying about work.
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Zomato had my back.
A fortnight later, we lost my mother. I stayed with my family a little longer. By the time I got back to Dubai, I had been away for six weeks. A lot happened during this hiatus, and by the end of it, I realized that I was surrounded by colleagues who were with me through thick and thin, and an organization that believed in me.
I am in a Sales role, where numbers and performance are key. But not once did this fact weigh in on the support I got from Z. Not only did my team offer me their understanding and emotional support, my manager also ensured that my renewals were done in a timely manner and that my work didn’t suffer. This thoughtfulness kept me away from any stressful situation once I returned to work. At the same time, the business didn’t suffer either.
It’s all about the team, isn’t it?
Like Sir Alex Ferguson once said, “I like to tell different stories and use my imagination. But generally, it is about our expectations, the team’s belief in themselves, and their trust in each other that helps them win.” It is tough to put into words what it feels like to be part of this tightly knit unit. It’s a privilege to be a part of this team and I would gladly take on any challenge Zomato has to offer me.
This for you is Zomato, ladies and gentlemen.
